Refrigerated shipping container for use with aircraft



L. -F. CLERC Aug. 14, 1945.

REFRIGERATED SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR USE WITH AIRCRAFT Filed Nov. 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. eonardialerc mmmmmm Aug. 14, 1945 1.. F. CLERC 2,382,859

REFRIGERATED SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR USE WITH AIRCRAFT I Filed Nov. 16, 1942 2 sheets-sheep 2 f Z 12 14 15 11x H I 1'1 18 36 r o o o O 40 41 i 11 A 21 INVENTOR.

Leora 2rd Clerc WfiW Patented Aug. 14, 1945 REFRIGERATED SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR USE WITH AIRCRAFT Leonard F. Clerc, Chicago, 111.

Application November 16, 1942, Serial No. 465,658

6 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating devices and has particular reference to a shipping container which employs Dry Ice as the refrigerant.

This application may beconsidered a continuation in part of my co -pending application, S.'N. 408,024, filed August 23, 1941, and which matured into Patent No. 2,325,371, July 27, 1943.

The invention herein disclosed resides in the particular combination and arrangement of parts, and although I have disclosed a certain embodiment, it will be understood that certain modifications can be made, all of which are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.

An object of the invention is to provide a light, compact, sturdy, refrigerated shipping container, which is suitable for air transportation and one which may be discharged from air transport plane by parachute.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerated shipping container which is provided with means to control the temperature inside it, so that commodities canbe kept in a predetermined dry temperature for days at a time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shipping container which is strong, but which embodies a certain degree of resiliency, whereby it is possible to obtain varying degrees of sealing effectiveness between the walls and the door edges.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerating shipping container which is provided with beveled, surface contacting, door edges, whereby better sealing efficiency is obtained.

Another object of the invention is the provision or" a light, refrigerated shipping container, which is resiliently constructed, but reinforced at vital locations to permit rough handling.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the device shown in Fig. 1, with the canvas flaps thrown back and the front doors removed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a reduced horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be understood that in the emboditaken ment herein disclosed my device consists of a light weight refrigerated shipping container, which is constructed and arranged as hereinafter described. The device is completely covered with a heavy, water-proof, and fire-proof canvas 7, to which is sewed or otherwise secured, before the cover is applied, the front flap 8, side flaps 9 (Fig. 2), strap loops in, and shipping tag pocket II.

The device is bound with the trunk straps I2, as is hereinafter more particularly describedfand skids 13 are applied to the exterior by screws or other suitable means, to protect the device when it is landed by parachute from a transport plane or the like. A ring M is provided for attachment to a parachute.

The interior arrangement and construction of the device is shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, from which it will be seen that there is a rigid shell 15, which is made of a corrugated board, with double layers on top and bottom, and a single layer on the sides (Fig. 3).

The canvas 1 is preferably glued or cemented to the outside of the shell l5, and reinforces and protects it. The canvas 1 extends into the interior, as at l 5, and completely lines the container and aids in holding the insulating pads I! in assembled relation.

The shell l5is insulated with the insulating pads H, such as are fully disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, S. N. 441,431, filed May 2, 1942. The pads H are each made of corrugated board 18, and filled with a soft insulation Ill.

The side walls are provided with two pads each, secured together, as shown in Fig. 3, with the channels 20 of the respective pads being positioned at right angles to the other. Along the edges and at the corners (Fig. 4) between the shell l5 and the pads I1, I provide angular reinforcing strips Zl, which are made of ply wood, or a suitable plastic material.

The bottom (Fig. 3) is reinforced as at 22, with a layer of plywood or other suitable material, which is interposed between the shell l5, and the lower insulating pad.

The sides and top of the refrigerant compartment 24 are provided with two extra layers of pads ll. The pads H, are all cemented or glued together and to the contacting surfaces adjacent them. As stated above, the canvas 1 is glued and extends over the exterior of the shell I5, and over the edges to the inside of the container, where it also covers the exposed surfaces of the resiliency in the parts due to the manner of construction.

Secured to the exposed surfaces of the insulating pads ll, below the compartment 24, are a plurality of vertically positioned tunnel like members 21, which are adapted to carry CO2 gas to the bottom of the storage compartment. The

tunnels 21 are provided with holes 28 near the top so that the CO2 gas can enter.

Similar tunnels 29 are horizontally positioned on the inside bottom of the container. These serve to elevate the commodities carried, so that air and CO2 gas can pass beneath them.

A control panel 30 is positioned inside the container and is supported on top of the tunnel members 21.

The control panel 30, in itself forms no part of this invention, aside from being an element in the combination herein claimed. The control panel 30 is fully described and claimed in my co-pending application S. N. 465,659 filed Nov. 16, 1942.

Generally, the panel 30 consists of several layers of apertured plastic material, one of the layers being movable with respect to the others, so that the apertures 3| may be aligned to provide communication between the Dry Ice? compartment 24, and the storage compartment 33. A Dry Ice platform 34 rests upon the top of the panel 30, and a baffle 35 depends from the under side. This bafile 35 tends to evenly difiuse the CO2 gas which passes down inwardly through the apertures 3 I, and causes it to travel into the holes 28 positioned in the tunnel bers 21.

The front edge 33 of the panel 30 is unsupported but is provided with a wooden strip 31, which reinforces it and prevents it from warping. The strip 31 has angular upper edges 38', which engage the angular edges of the DryIce com-- partment door 39, to effect a perfect seal. The door 39- is also covered with canvas which extends and is secured beneath the strip 31, as at 40, to provide a hinge for the outward and downward swinging of the door 33.

To use the device, the doors 26 and 39 are removed and the panel 30 is inserted. and adjusted to the temperature desired by means of the control lever 4|.

mem-

"Dry Ice is then placed on the platform 34,

and the door 39 is swung shut. The bottom compartment 33 is then loaded with commodities and the large door 26 is placed in position. The side flaps 9 are brought over, and the front flap 8 is dropped, and the straps [2 are then fastened and drawn up tight, so the door 26 is held in sealed position. The device is now ready for shipment. Ihave found that it is possible to keep this device and its contents refrigerated from seven to ten days, with as little as pounds of Dry Ice.

As the Dry Ice sublimes the CO2 gas builds up a pressure within the device, which pressure, because of the resilient structure and the arrangement of the parts is gradually reduced again, as the device expands and some of the gas is permitted to escape around the edges of the doors.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, including a rigid box-like structure having a door opening and a plurality of insulating liner pads positioned along the inside walls thereof, a fabric sheathing, comprising sections of canvas, or the like, cemented to the exterior surfaces of the container and haVing portions extending around the edges of said door opening and said liner pads, and into the interior of said structure, where they are cemented to the exposed surfaces of said liner pads to reinforce the same and secure them in position.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, in which the sheathing is provided with loose side and front flaps adapted to cover the door opening.

3. The structure defined in claim 1, in which the sheathing is provided with a plurality of loose flaps, one of which terminates in a shipping tag pocket.

4. 'The structure defined in claim 1, in which the sheathing is provided with a plurality of tunnels adapted to accommodate encircling straps, at least one of which is a carrying strap.

5. The structure defined in claim 1, in which the sheathing is provided with a plurality of tunnel members adapted to accommodate a plurality of encircling straps, at least one of which is provided with means for attachment to a parachute.

6. The structure defined in claim 1, in which the sheathing is provided with a plurality of tunnel members adapted to accommodate a plurality of encircling straps, at least one of which is provided with means for attachment to a parachute, there being a plurality of skid members secured in position against the exterior of said sheathing, and arranged to protect said sheathing and said straps against damage.

. LEONARD F. CLERC. 

